On the WeatherRadar - A cloud of Saharan dust over the Mediterranean

On Sunday morning, a vast blanket of clouds spread across the western and central Mediterranean. Seen from the ground, the sky is simply grey and unremarkable. From a satellite perspective, however, the trained eye immediately notices that large quantities of Saharan dust are at play.

What is particularly striking is the ridged texture on the upper surface of the cloud – this is very typical of Saharan dust and usually forms at night.

On the WeatherRadar, the best time to spot these Saharan dust clouds is therefore in the morning, shortly after sunrise. During the day, the pattern usually disappears.